Vietnam Vets Work to Restore Military Helicopter

Lauren Wanko, NJTV | January 22, 2014 1:12 PM

Veterans roll up their sleeves each Monday to bring this veteran back to life — Huey, a 1964 military helicopter that served two tours in the Vietnam War.

“It means everything to the Vietnam veterans who rode in those, fought from those and that’s predominantly almost everyone who went over there,” said New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Foundation Executive Director Bill Linderman.

“For three years, Huey was my whole life. That was my job. The Huey was the iconic image of the Vietnam War,” said Huey Restoration Project Project Manager Ken Gurbisz.

Known as the Helicopter War, more than 7,000 Hueys flew in Vietnam. The helicopters transported soldiers to combat assaults, brought much-needed supplies, carried wounded soldiers from the field. The Huey was a lifesaver to these veterans. And now they’re devoting their time to restore it.

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